Daiya Ryokan

It’s a cheap place to stay in a super convenient spot near Kyoto Station, but I wouldn’t call it a very typical ryokan. Our room was too small for three people. Once we had the futons laid out, there wasn’t room to open our luggage, and the bathrooms were a bit dirty for both women and men. I’d recommend it if you’re trying to save money and time and don’t have high expectations.

The cleaning ladies were the one bright spot. They were nice. Everything else made this one of the worst stays I’ve had. There was mold and dust in the rooms, and I woke up struggling to breathe each day with severe coughing in the early mornings. I was worried about the amount of spores I’d breathed in and what it might do to my health. The place has two buildings, a Ryokan and a newer one that reeks of cigarette smoke. At check-in, no one was there for a while, and it took several minutes before anyone found our reservation. A manager from the newer building said he’d found it, then took us to a completely different room from the Ryokan garden-view room we’d booked. When I pointed that out, he changed his story and said our room was being cleaned. It was odd, and I noticed other reviews describing something similar. The toilets smelled strongly of urine, so my partner and I avoided them as much as we could and used cleaner public toilets in convenience stores instead. The shower floors had mold around them, and the mats were very dirty, just plastic covered in mold. Management was bizarre, if there was any. There seemed to be two men, one for each building, and both handled things badly. The man at the Ryokan told us to knock on his door if we needed help, but he was never there. We stayed three nights and four days and only saw him on the first day. We also watched other guests arrive and wait a long time for someone to come take them to their rooms. I’d avoid this place as much as possible.

I loved the tatami floor, and the futon mats were comfortable. The AC worked great, and there was always a toilet available. I never had to wait for a shower or bath, either. The staff were really friendly, and the rooms were clean and perfect. For a budget stay this was great, though I would’ve liked a more traditional Ryokan experience.

The host helped me get my lost wallet back by calling the JR representatives, and the staff were all very friendly. The facilities could use a little improvement, or guests could be encouraged to clean up after themselves more. It’s a traditional place, and worth the stay if you’re willing to pay a few more dollars. Rooms are small, so don’t be surprised, but you should be out exploring anyway. It’s a 10-minute walk from Kyoto Station, with lots of places to eat nearby and two really nice temples within walking distance.